NATICK – Town and school leaders are discussing philosophies around purchasing laptops following a School Committee decision earlier this month to use $260,000 from the high school project contingency fund to purchase 200 laptops for the one-to-one program.

Some selectmen and Town Administrator Martha White Monday worried about using money for the laptops that is part of the debt exclusion high school project as they hope to keep expenses spent outside the Proposition 2-1/2 limit as low as possible. White said she would rather see the expenses come through the normal capital program which is funded within Proposition 2-1/2.

"We’re still doing research into this," White said. "We respect the vote of the School Committee."

Selectman Rick Jennett agreed with White’s view on using money from the high school project for laptops. Every eighth-grader and high school student has a district laptop through the program

"I think we’re ahead of the curve and that’s why it’s so difficult," Jennett said Monday.

He said he is glad to hear school leaders have talked with other districts with one-to-one programs about funding the programs.

White told selectmen Monday town and school leaders have met about the laptop topic.

Superintendent Peter Sanchioni said Tuesday the $260,000 had already been borrowed as part of the project, resolving a question selectmen had Monday.

Sanchioni said school leaders are always open to discussions about laptop funding and strive to be transparent.

School Committee Chairman Dirk Coburn said the laptops are needed as a result of enrollment that rose higher than leaders projected.

"It’s essentially equipping the building for the first time for a population not expected," Coburn said.

The laptop purchase does not affect the approximately $10 million savings the district saw with the $78 million high school project, Coburn has said.

White said "it cannot be overstated" how well the district did in bringing in the project under budget

Selectmen’s discussion on the laptops came in the context of a proposed warrant article for spring Town Meeting that would set up a stabilization fund for one-to-one technology.

White said laptops will need to be replaced periodically and that is a good spot to put funds in anticipation of that expense. Some free cash could potentially be allocated to that fund in the future, she said.

Sanchioni praised White for suggesting that idea.

Brian Benson can be reached at 508-626-3964 or bbenson@wickedlocal.com Follow him on Twitter @bbensonmwdn.